EDITORIAL: Green hydrogen red flags

The questionable manner in which government is rolling out the much-hyped multibillion-dollar green hydrogen project is raising avoidable suspicions in the public domain. Instead of instilling ease and confidence in the project, we have seen how the secretive manner in which components of the project have been executed continues to cause intense public discomfort. While the intention to push the green hydrogen agenda might be a noble one, the work on the ground tells a different story. From handpicked appointments, secret agreements as well as the absence of laws regulating the industry, one cannot blame the public for expressing their reservations about this mega project. Government has initiated brilliant development concepts, but its reluctance to take the public into its confidence as well as to take advice has often led to the failure of those concepts. We hope it won’t be the case this time around. The speed at which government is moving with this green hydrogen project - which has not been tried elsewhere - is worrying. Money is already flying around while no regulatory framework and feasibility study are in place. This pace reminds us of the infamous mass housing project that was hastily implemented at the tail-end of former president Hifikepunye Pohamba’s term. During this time, government forged ahead despite clear warnings from experts and the public that the implementation model was flawed. Today, government sits with egg on its face and the houses stand empty, despite contractors having been paid millions.